350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Hybrid Meeting Thursday Night, Jan. 15, at 7 PM

Hi all!

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Hybrid
Meeting Thursday Night, Jan. 15, at 7 PM

Our 350 Mass Franklin Node meeting will be held this Thursday night, Jan. 15th, from 7-9 PM. It will be a hybrid meeting, meaning in-person as well as by Zoom.  In person is preferred if possible.

Meeting Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09 

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274 Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

Our meeting's focus will be on:

•  Discussing the difference between the Mass Power Forward and 350 Mass legislative priorities.
• Preparation for our meeting with Rep. Jeffrey Roy on Friday, Jan 23rd.

Thank you, and hoping to see you tomorrow night  at 7 PM!

With gratitude,

Carolyn, Rand and Steve

508-335-0848 Carolyn cell

350 Mass Response to 350.org Suspending US Programming

Franklin neighbor -- Last week, 350.org announced significant layoffs to their global staff and a pause to campaigning in the US in a letter to partners. 350 Mass is deeply saddened for everyone whose lives were impacted by these difficult decisions. To be clear, 350 Mass is an independent organization with no financial connections to 350.org. Our staff, our volunteer network, and our campaigns for climate justice aren't going anywhere. 350 Mass is one of the 16 largest independent "350 local groups" in the US and part of 350 Network Council, a group of independent affiliates who partner to strategize across state lines and support each other's work. It is the Network Council groups who lead climate actions campaigns in their respective states and cities. Together we have more than 70 staff and thousands of dedicated volunteers across the country. That's real power. That's here to stay. We have worked in partnership with 350.org, the international organzation, on campaigns and mobilizations to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline. In recent years we marched together at Make Billionaires Pay (2025) and The March to End Fossil Fuels (2023). Our organizing and campaigning will continue. We not only need to keep making progress on climate in states like Massachusetts, but we also need to uphold climate as part of the national mass movement to resist authoritarianism.  Now is a critical time to join the movement, come to our events, take action, and donate so that we can continue to support dedicated organizers and fund projects across our network. 350 Mass and Better Future Project are charging ahead, but we need all the help we can get. Check out our calendar with upcoming events, and become a monthly donor so that we can keep on doing this work. We will only win what we fight for. - In Solidarity, Evan Bell, 350 Mass Director of Organizing 350 Mass & Better Future Project

ALERT: 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7 PM

Hi all!

Our next 350 Mass Franklin Node meeting will this one time be held tomorrow, Wednesday, October 15th from 7-9 PM. It will be a hybrid meeting, meaning both in person at FUSF, 262 Chestnut Street in Franklin, as well as on Zoom for those who can't make it in person.  

Meeting Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274 Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

The reason for the change is that a special No Kings Safety and Security Training will be held in the FUSF sanctuary on our usual meeting date of Thursday, October 16th in preparation for the national No Kings demonstrations taking place this coming Saturday, October 18th. Some of our members will be attending this training session. 

Link to the training for those interested:

https://www.mobilize.us/swingbluealliance/event/851908/ 

Also, for future reference, our regular meetings will remain on the first and third Thursdays of the month from 7:00 - 9:00. However, the first Thursday will now be Zoom only, and the third Thursday will be hybrid, meaning in person as well as by Zoom. This is to accommodate another group requiring the Dana Room on first Thursdays. 

Thank you, and hoping to see you in person and by Zoom tomorrow night at 7 PM.

With gratitude,

Carolyn, Rand and Steve

508-335-0848 Carolyn cell

350 Mass Greater Franklin node mtg Thursday, September 18, 7-9 PM, ZOOM ONLY

Dear Greater Franklin node member,

Our 350 Mass Greater Franklin node meeting will be held Tomorrow night, September 18th, 7:00-9:00 pm.  This will be a Zoom only meeting, link below. 

Meeting Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09
Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274    Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

350 Mass Greater Franklin node mtg

TOPICS:

* Updates on climate related legislative priorities

* Please read the linked articles which will form part of our discussion.

* Other

Linked Articles:

Boston Globe article: NE Offshore Wind article

Boston Globe article: Enbridge Gas Pipeline is back--again!

Map of pipeline

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrWcUKvi9Hz9iXeGKHLko7_Q4O7Xvmd4/view?usp=sharing

Hoping to see you on Zoom Tomorrow night at 7 PM!

With gratitude,
Carolyn, Rand and Steve

508-335-0848 Carolyn cell

How Boston is handling climate in the face of riding tides via The Guardian

Via The Guardian, we can read: 

"As the Trump administration dismisses global heating, the coastal city is getting on with becoming one of the most climate resilient in the world. Here’s how

Patrick Devine, a captain for Boston Harbor City Cruises, shows me on his phone the scenes here in September 2024. The water was ankle-deep outside the door to his office on Long Wharf, one of the US city’s oldest piers, obscuring the pavements and walkways, surging into buildings and ruining vehicles in the car parks. “It just gets worse and worse each year,” says Devine, who has worked here, on and off, since 1995. “I’ve gotten used to it, so it’s just knowing your way around it.”

A waiter at Chart House restaurant in Boston

Much of Boston has got used to this. Devine has his own supply of sandbags now, for example. Next door to his office is the Chart House restaurant – when Long Wharf flooded last September, customers merrily sat at outside tables, holding their feet above the waterline, as servers with black bin bags for trousers waded over to bring them their lunches. The restaurant’s floor level is lower than that of the wharf, so the water came up to knee level in some areas. “It’s just part of business,” says one waiter, as he points out how the plug sockets are all at waist height. The place has flooded three times in the year he’s worked here. “We just clean it up, squeeze it out, open the doors, dry it out. It is what it is.”

Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/24/flood-boston-climate-deniers-trump-administration-coastal-city-resilient?CMP=share_btn_url

The Great salt lake is no longer "great", and soon may not even be a lake

"On a recent flight home to Salt Lake City, I gazed out the window and shuddered. The ground below was riddled with cracks. Sporadic green pools dotted the dry earth where vast water had once been.

I was flying over what used to be an outlying stretch of the Great Salt Lake — the largest lake west of the Mississippi River. Growing up, I used to row there with my crew team. I came to love the brilliant sunsets, along with the migratory birds that stopped there each year.

This was not the lake I once knew.

For years, Great Salt Lake has been shrinking due to water overuse and rising temperatures. It has gone from a high of 3,300 square miles in the 1980s to a record low of 888 square miles in 2022. Though a few years of heavy precipitation have helped, it is still in grave danger. Without meaningful change, the lake could vanish altogether in a matter of years.

This is not just a disaster for Utah, where the lake is a cornerstone — it could have wide-reaching impacts that could reach New England."

Shared from -> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/14/magazine/great-salt-lake-sparks-new-england-concern/ 

Last August, I also shared an article on the disappearing Great Salt Lake ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/08/utahs-great-salt-lake-rings-climate.html

The Great Salt Lake, near Salt Lake City, Utah, has lost more than 70% of its water. Photograph: Rick Bowmer/AP

ALERT: 350 Mass node mtg this Thursday, June 5, 7-9 PM, & BACKGROUND READING

Dear Greater Franklin node member,

Our 350 Mass Greater Franklin node meeting will be held this Thursday, June 5, 7:00-9:00 pm at the First Universalist Society Franklin (FUSF), 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin, MA. 

It will be hybrid, which means both in-person and by Zoom. To get the most out of the meeting which will include a lot of discussion, I encourage you to attend in-person, if at all possible.

350 Mass node mtg this Thursday, June 5

Meeting Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09
Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274    Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

As some light homework to prepare you for the meeting & to get more out of it, we suggest you look beforehand at the two short summaries linked below, one of the "Roadmap" bill that became law in 2021, as well as Governor Healey's "Energy Affordability" legislation filed in May. That information will guide our discussion:

• Foundation laid by the Roadmap Act

• short summary

• longer summary

• Rep. Cusack remarks

• Gov. Healey's bill & our Save Money with Clean Heat (SMCH) bills

• short summary

• Governor's press release

• longer summary

• SMCH bills

• What should we do now?

OTHER TOPICS:

* Review our upcoming Franklin tabling schedule for Fridays, June 13 and June 27, 2025.

* Reports from Wednesday's legislative briefing & Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (TUE) hearing

* Updates on protecting democracy

* Other?

Hoping to see you at 262 Chestnut Street in Franklin this Thursday at 7 PM.

With gratitude,
Carolyn and Steve

508-335-0848 Carolyn cell

350 Mass Gtr Franklin node meeting this Thursday, May 1, 7:00-9:00pm

Hey, everybody! 

Our 350 Mass Greater Franklin node meeting will be held this Thursday, May 1, 7:00-9:00 pm. at the First Universalist Society Franklin (FUSF), 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin, MA.

Please put this in your Calendar for Thursday night.

Ordinarily the first Thursday meeting of the month is a hybrid meeting, offering both in person and Zoom attendance.  However, because the purpose of this meeting is to do dry runs for our speaking to our legislators about the legislation before them this session, it will be ideal for attendees to come in person.  There will be other topics briefly discussed, but this will be the main thrust of the meeting.

 meeting this Thursday, May 1, 7:00-9:00pm

For those simply interested in following the proceedings, we are providing a Zoom link.

Meeting Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09
Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274    Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

AGENDA:

- Dry runs for speaking to our legislators

- Status of arranging legislative meetings about 350 Mass Priorities legislative agenda

- Upcoming resistance actions

Upcoming Events:

- Reserve this date: UMass professor's Saturday, May 3, presentation of "Planning for Human Ingenuity in the Fight Against Climate Change, 3:00PM, at the Franklin Public Library

- TAKE ACTION NOW: Looking for statewide signatures asking Healey to stop the project - Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere

- Fix the Grid Campaign ISO-NE Doesn't Play Well With Others, a rally for reform on Wednesday, May 14th at 11am on the Boston Common! RSVP here to let us know you're coming!

- Messaging Study Group, April 30, 7:00-8:15 

Join us to explore how to create public messages around climate and climate justice issues.
What should we consider when creating a message? What does the research say? How does a strong message help build our movement?
We will be reading articles and excerpts together and meeting on zoom to discuss and generate ideas. Readings will be made available when you RSVP.
No prior messaging experience needed! All are welcome.

-  May 7, 5:00-6:00pm, Climate Action Happy Hour: Testimony Training
Learn how to Testify at a State Hearing!
Testifying at a hearing for a state bill is the most direct way our advocates can weigh in on the legislative process. Knowing that, legislators make it intimidating and hard to be ready for! Our Legislative Manager Dan Zackin will join us to demystify testimony, walk us through how to draft it and prepare, and get us ready for upcoming legislative hearings! Join us in a safe, supportive community to learn, ask questions, and get ready to testify! All are welcome! No prior legislative experience required. RSVP for zoom link.

Hoping to see you at 262 Chestnut Street in Franklin this Thursday at 7 PM.

With gratitude,
Carolyn and Steve Derdiarian

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting - April 3rd at 6 PM

Our 350 Mass Greater Franklin node meeting will be held THURSDAY, April 3rd, starting at a special time of 6 PM (more on that below) and ending at 9 PM.

This will be both in-person and by Zoom, with the in-person meeting taking place at First Universalist Society in Franklin at 262 Chestnut Street at 6:00 pm. Bring your friends!

Meeting Zoom link:

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274    Passcode: 350ma
Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

Lots going on! Topics for the node meeting include:

1. TOMORROW NIGHT come to FUSF EARLY at 6:00pm and join a Make Polluters Pay webinar! The campaign is offering a webinar to learn how to build community and pass a Municipal Resolution in your community! 

The Zoom is 6:00-7:00pm and then we'll go right into our node meeting starting at 7:00pm. Sign up here so they know how many people are actually attending even if we're all in one meeting!

2. We'll decide what date preferences for tabling at the Franklin Farmers Market.

3. We'll have information from the Statewide Legislative Team about our legislative priority bills and discuss what we want in a legislative toolkit.

4. The legislature is considering a Jet Tax loophole and we need to contact our legislators.

5. April 5 Hands Off! protests in Attleboro, Boston, Holliston 

To register if your Saturday has opened up or you'd forgotten, handsoff2025.com

Hoping to see you this Thursday at 6 PM, in person or by Zoom.

With gratitude,

Carolyn and Steve Derdiarian

ALERT: Different Mar 20, 2025 meeting instead of 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node mtg

Hey, 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node members,

We're going to do things a little differently this Thursday's meeting time as it's the season for campaign launches!

This Thursday is the launch of the 350 Mass Save Money With Clean Heat campaign from 7:00-9:00pm on Zoom.

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node

This is ordinarily our bi-monthly meeting only on Zoom anyway, so I think it's advantageous to use it to become familiar with the campaign.

Perhaps you saw in the Climate Weekly newsletter that the Make Polluters Pay campaign launch was last Sunday in Boston. Here is today's Climate Weekly:

Last Sunday, 350 Mass, Mass Power Forward and our whole coalition gathered to launch the 2025-2026 Make Polluters Pay campaign! For decades, big fossil fuel companies have made trillions of dollars while destroying our shared environment. It's time to make polluters pay. Thank you to the volunteers who planned the event and our speakers, including Iselle Barrios of the Massachusetts Youth Climate Coalition (MYCC) and Tristan Thomas of Alternatives for Community and the Environment (ACE).  Watch a recording of the launch and learn more about the campaign at the Polluters Pay website.

IN ANY CASE, I'd like to propose everyone register for and attend this Thursday's Save Money with Clean Heat launch instead of having a regular node meeting.

The registration for the Save Money with Clean Heat campaign launch Zoom is here. See you on Zoom!

With gratitude,

Carolyn

State Rep Jeff Roy looks back on 2024 and ahead to 2025 (audio)

FM #1373 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1373 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with State Representative Jeff Roy. We had our discussion in person at the Franklin TV & Radio Studio on Monday, February 3, 2025. 

We cover 

• The recent Legislative session #193 of the General Court

• Legislation filed for #194

• Entertainment fee to offset cable cord cutting for local PEG channels 

• Transparency and the Globe articles 

• Changes at the Federal level can have impact to us

The recording runs about 49 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1373-state-rep-jeff-roy-02-03-25/

--------------

Jeff’s Representative profile page at MA Legislature =  https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/JNR1  

Jeff Roy’s Twitter =  https://twitter.com/jeffroy  

Representative Roy’s Facebook page =  https://www.facebook.com/RepJeffRoy/  

Subscribe to Jeff’s newsletter -> https://jeffreyroy.com/newsletter/

BU Student generate project archive with the info on the development of the major MA climate legislation passed in 2022 by Gov Baker -> "Chapter 179, An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind"

https://sites.bu.edu/masslaw/2023/02/10/chapter-179-an-act-driving-clean-energy-and-offshore-wind/ 

-------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting - Thursday, February 6 at 7 PM

Our 350 Mass Greater Franklin node meeting will be held THURSDAY, Feb 6, 7:00-9:00 pm.

This will be both in-person and by Zoom, with the in-person meeting taking place at First Universalist Society in Franklin at 262 Chestnut Street at 7:00 pm. Bring your friends!

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting

At this meeting we'll discuss the outcome of the Campaign Prioritization Meeting and how to begin to move forward with the campaign efforts 350 Mass has chosen, plus any ongoing local action we've worked on.

Meeting Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09
Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274    Passcode: 350ma
Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

HOWEVER, you're also invited to come Wednesday, Feb 5, to the Campaign Prioritization Meeting, by Zoom, 6:00-9:00 pm.  Join us for a thorough community discussion about our campaigns. The goal of this meeting is to strategize for the next year and prioritize our campaigns. All are welcome! The final vote will be taken by Statewide Steering Team representatives. PLEASE RSVP here.

Lastly, you are welcome to attend Sunday, Feb 16, at 10:00 am at First Universalist Society in Franklin.  The Climate Justice Team of Dave Rittenhouse, Steve Derdiarian, Mark Minnichelli, and Carolyn and Rand Barthel will be conducting a service called Climate: What Will You Do? No proselytizing, just climate change, we promise!

We hope this works for you all.

Hoping to see you this Thursday 7 PM, in person or by Zoom, for our 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node meeting!

With gratitude,

Carolyn and Steve